U.S. patent number 10,437,242 [Application Number 16/213,710] was granted by the patent office on 2019-10-08 for vehicle remote operation system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The grantee listed for this patent is TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Naoya Ishizaki, Tomoharu Maeda, Hiroshi Majima, Yushi Seki, Katsuya Terahata, Takaaki Tokura.
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United States Patent |
10,437,242 |
Tokura , et al. |
October 8, 2019 |
Vehicle remote operation system
Abstract
A vehicle remote operation system includes a controller
correcting a map, which indicates a relationship between an
operation amount of a reference vehicle and an operation amount of
a vehicle to be operated, based on vehicle characteristic data of
the vehicle to be operated, characteristic of the operation device
being determined based on characteristic of an operation device of
the reference vehicle, correcting an operation amount, which is
indicated by the operation signal, in accordance with a
characteristic of the vehicle to be operated by using the corrected
map, and outputting a control signal indicating the corrected
operation amount to the vehicle to be operated so that the vehicle
to be operated can be operated in accordance with the corrected
operation amount.
Inventors: |
Tokura; Takaaki (Nagoya,
JP), Ishizaki; Naoya (Sunto, JP), Maeda;
Tomoharu (Toyota, JP), Seki; Yushi (Susono,
JP), Majima; Hiroshi (Toyota, JP),
Terahata; Katsuya (Susono, JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Toyota |
N/A |
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
(Toyota, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
62106109 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/213,710 |
Filed: |
December 7, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190179302 A1 |
Jun 13, 2019 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Dec 8, 2017 [JP] |
|
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2017-236502 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C
5/08 (20130101); G05D 1/0011 (20130101); G05B
15/02 (20130101); G05D 1/0027 (20130101); G05D
1/0016 (20130101); G05D 2201/0212 (20130101); B60W
50/087 (20130101); G05D 2201/0213 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G05D
1/00 (20060101); B60W 50/08 (20120101); G05B
15/02 (20060101); G07C 5/08 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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102765422 |
|
Nov 2012 |
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CN |
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2009-129052 |
|
Jun 2009 |
|
JP |
|
2011-232047 |
|
Nov 2011 |
|
JP |
|
2012-1027 |
|
Jan 2012 |
|
JP |
|
2014-71655 |
|
Apr 2014 |
|
JP |
|
2017-174208 |
|
Sep 2017 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Melton; Todd M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, McClelland, Maier &
Neustadt, L.L.P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle remote operation system which selects a vehicle to be
operated from a plurality of vehicles and inputs an operation
signal indicating an operation amount of the selected vehicle by
using an operation device outside the vehicles to perform a remote
operation of the selected vehicle, the vehicle remote operation
system comprising: a controller configured to correct a map, which
indicates a relationship between an operation amount of a reference
vehicle and an operation amount of the vehicle to be operated,
based on vehicle characteristic data of the vehicle to be operated
wherein characteristic of the operation device is determined based
on characteristic of an operation device of the reference vehicle,
correct the operation amount, which is indicated by the operation
signal, in accordance with a characteristic of the vehicle to be
operated by using the corrected map, and output a control signal
indicating the corrected operation amount to the vehicle to be
operated so that the vehicle to be operated can be operated in
accordance with the corrected operation amount.
2. The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 1,
wherein the controller is configured to correct the operation
amount in such a manner that an accelerator position of the vehicle
to be operated increases as load capacity of the vehicle to be
operated increases.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
The present application claims priority to and incorporates by
reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No.
2017-236502 filed in Japan on Dec. 8, 2017.
BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle remote operation system
that performs.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2017-174208 describes a
technology of performing remote operation of a self-driving vehicle
when traveling by self-driving becomes impossible due to an
unexpected circumstance in a system of performing a taxi service by
using a self-driving vehicle.
Generally, in a case of performing remote operation of various
vehicles with different specifications, power performance, and
traveling histories, it is necessary for an operator to perform
remote operation of the vehicles in consideration of different
characteristics of the vehicles to be operated. However, in the
technology described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.
2017-174208, remote operation of a self-driving vehicle is not
performed in consideration of a characteristic of the self-driving
vehicle to be operated when traveling by self-driving becomes
impossible. Thus, according to the technology described in Japanese
Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2017-174208, contents of remote
operation by an operator do not correspond to a characteristic of a
self-driving vehicle to be operated, and there is a possibility
that a passenger of the self-driving vehicle feels excessive
acceleration/deceleration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is a need for providing a remote operation system for a
vehicle preventing a passenger of the vehicle from feeling
excessive acceleration/deceleration.
According to an embodiment, a vehicle remote operation system,
which selects a vehicle to be operated from a plurality of vehicles
and inputs an operation signal indicating an operation amount of
the selected vehicle by using an operation device outside the
vehicles to perform a remote operation of the selected vehicle,
includes: a controller correcting a map, which indicates a
relationship between an operation amount of a reference vehicle and
an operation amount of the vehicle to be operated, based on vehicle
characteristic data of the vehicle to be operated wherein
characteristic of the operation device is determined based on
characteristic of an operation device of the reference vehicle,
correcting the operation amount, which is indicated by the
operation signal, in accordance with a characteristic of the
vehicle to be operated by using the corrected map, and outputting a
control signal indicating the corrected operation amount to the
vehicle to be operated so that the vehicle to be operated can be
operated in accordance with the corrected operation amount.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an example configuration of
a vehicle remote operation system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an example of vehicle
characteristic data stored in a vehicle characteristic data storage
unit illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of remote operation
control process according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure; and
FIGS. 4A and 4B are views illustrating an operation amount
correction value calculation process illustrated in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following, a configuration and operation of a vehicle remote
operation system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Configuration
First, a configuration of the vehicle remote operation system
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be
described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a
schematic view illustrating an example configuration of the vehicle
remote operation system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an example of
vehicle characteristic data stored in a vehicle characteristic data
storage unit 51 illustrated in FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a vehicle remote operation system 1
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure selects a
vehicle 2 to be operated from a plurality of vehicles 2 and inputs
an operation signal indicating an operation amount of the selected
vehicle 2 to perform a remote operation of the selected vehicle 2,
and includes a vehicle operation device 3, a vehicle switching
device 4, and a remote operation control device 5 as main
components thereof.
The vehicle operation device 3, provided on a side of an operator
to perform remote operation of the vehicle 2, includes an operation
device, which is provided in a general vehicle, such as an
accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a steering, and a shift lever. In
response to an operation input from the operator, the vehicle
operation device 3 outputs an operation signal indicating an
operation amount of the vehicle 2 to be operated to the remote
operation control device 5. Note that characteristics of the
accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, the steering, and the shift
lever included in the vehicle operation device 3 are determined on
the basis of characteristics of an accelerator pedal, a brake
pedal, a steering, and a shift lever of a predetermined reference
vehicle (hereinafter may be simplified as a "reference vehicle").
In addition, in the vicinity of the vehicle operation device 3, a
display device or a virtual reality (VR) device that displays the
vehicle 2 to be operated or a peripheral image thereof
two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally is arranged in such a
manner that the operator can recognize a state of the vehicle 2 to
be operated and peripheral environment thereof.
The vehicle switching device 4, provided on the side of the
operator, outputs information of a vehicle 2, which is selected
from a plurality of vehicles 2 according to a selection operation
input by the operator, as information of the vehicle 2 to be
operated, to the remote operation control device 5.
The remote operation control device 5 includes an information
processing device such as a computer and is connected to the
plurality of vehicles 2 in a manner of being able to perform
information communication through an electric communication line
such as the Internet. The remote operation control device 5
includes a vehicle characteristic data storage unit 51, an
operation amount correction unit 52, and a vehicle control unit 53
as main components thereof.
The vehicle characteristic data storage unit 51 includes a
non-volatile storage device such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) inside
the information processing device. Note that a storage device
arranged outside the remote operation control device 5 may be used
as the vehicle characteristic data storage unit 51, so that vehicle
characteristic data can be acquired from the external storage
device through the electric communication line when necessary. The
vehicle characteristic data storage unit 51 stores vehicle
characteristic data for the reference vehicle and each vehicle type
of the vehicle 2 to be operated.
More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the vehicle
characteristic data storage unit 51 stores, as vehicle
characteristic data, a vehicle characteristic data map M including
an accelerator position characteristic map Ma, a brake
characteristic map Mb, a steering characteristic map Mc, and shift
characteristic data Md for the reference vehicle and each vehicle
type of the vehicle 2 to be operated in the present embodiment.
Here, the accelerator position characteristic map Ma indicates a
relationship between an operation amount of an accelerator pedal
and an accelerator position. The brake characteristic map Mb
indicates a relationship between an operation amount of a brake
pedal and a brake characteristic. The steering characteristic map
Mc indicates a relationship between a steering angle of a steering
and a steering characteristic. The shift characteristic data Md
indicates a configuration of a shift device (such as six-speed
transmission configuration or four-speed transmission
configuration).
Functions of the operation amount correction unit 52 and the
vehicle control unit 53 will be described later. Note that each of
the operation amount correction unit 52 and the vehicle control
unit 53 may be realized by execution of a computer program by an
arithmetic processing device such as a Central Processing Unit
(CPU) inside the information processing device or may be realized
by a special electronic circuit.
The vehicle remote operation system 1 having such a configuration
prevents a passenger of the vehicle 2 from feeling excessive
acceleration/deceleration by executing remote operation control
process described in the following. In the following, an operation
of the vehicle remote operation system 1 of when the remote
operation control process according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure is executed will be described with reference to FIG. 3
and FIGS. 4A and 4B.
Remote Operation Control Process
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of the remote operation
control process according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIGS. 4A and 4B are views illustrating operation amount
correction value calculation process illustrated in FIG. 3.
The process of the flowchart of FIG. 3 starts when the vehicle
remote operation system 1 is activated, and the remote operation
control process goes to step S1.
In step S1, the remote operation control device 5 determines
whether a request signal for the remote operation is received from
the vehicle 2 through the electric communication line to determine
whether there is a demand for remote operation from a passenger of
a vehicle 2. As a result of this determination, in a case where a
request signal for the remote operation is received (Yes in step
S1), the remote operation control device 5 determines that there is
a demand for the remote operation and advances the remote operation
control process to step S2. On the other hand, in a case where a
request signal for the remote operation is not received (No in step
S1), the remote operation control device 5 determines that there is
no demand for the remote operation and returns to step S1 after
standing by for a predetermined period.
In step S2, the remote operation control device 5 connects the
vehicle 2, which transmits the request signal for the remote
operation through the electric communication line (hereinafter,
referred to as a "vehicle to be operated"), and the vehicle
operation device 3. Accordingly, the process of step S2 ends and
the process goes to step S3.
In the process of step S3, the remote operation control device 5
acquires, as target vehicle data, information of a vehicle type or
a traveling history of the vehicle to be operated from the vehicle
to be operated through the electric communication line. The remote
operation control device 5 may acquire the target vehicle data by
reading the target vehicle data from a storage device included in
the vehicle to be operated or may acquire the target vehicle data
by prompting a passenger of the vehicle to be operated to input the
target vehicle data. Accordingly, the process of step S3 ends, and
the process goes to step S4.
In the process of step S4, the remote operation control device 5
acquires information of the number of passengers in the vehicle to
be operated (information of number of passenger) from the vehicle
to be operated through the electric communication line. The remote
operation control device 5 can acquire the information of the
number of passengers by, for example, prompting the passenger of
the vehicle to be operated to input the information of the number
of passengers. Accordingly, the processing in Step S4 ends, and the
process goes to step S5.
In step S5, the remote operation control device 5 acquires
information of a destination of the vehicle to be operated
(traveling destination information) from the vehicle to be operated
through the electric communication line. The remote operation
control device 5 can acquire the traveling destination information
by, for example, prompting the passenger of the vehicle to be
operated to input the traveling destination information.
Accordingly, the process of step S5 ends, and the process goes to
step S6.
In the process of step S6, the operation amount correction unit 52
reads, from the vehicle characteristic data storage unit 51, the
vehicle characteristic data corresponding to the reference vehicle
and the target vehicle data acquired by the process in step S3 and
corrects, on the basis of the read vehicle characteristic data, a
map indicating a relationship between an operation amount of the
reference vehicle and an operation amount of the vehicle to be
operated. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, in a case
where a relationship between a remote operation-side accelerator
position and an actual vehicle-side accelerator position of when a
vehicle type of the vehicle to be operated is the same with that of
the reference vehicle is expressed by a reference line L1 and a
case where the vehicle type of the vehicle to be operated is a
vehicle type A, the operation amount correction unit 52 creates a
map in which the reference line L1 is corrected to a correction
line L2 on the basis of accelerator position characteristic maps Ma
of the reference vehicle and the vehicle to be operated. Similarly,
the operation amount correction unit 52 corrects a brake
characteristic, a steering characteristic, and a shift
characteristic according to the vehicle type of the vehicle to be
operated. Subsequently, on the basis of the information of the
number of passengers acquired by the process of step S4, the
operation amount correction unit 52 further corrects the map
indicating a relationship between an operation amount of the
reference vehicle and an operation amount of the vehicle to be
operated. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, in a case
where a relationship between a remote operation-side accelerator
position and an actual vehicle-side accelerator position of when
the number of passengers is one is expressed by a reference line
L3, the operation amount correction unit 52 creates a map in which
the reference line L3 is corrected to a correction line L4 on the
basis of the information of the number of passengers in such a
manner that an accelerator position becomes large as the number of
passengers is increased. Similarly, the operation amount correction
unit 52 further corrects the brake characteristic according to the
information of the number of passengers. Note that the operation
amount correction unit 52 may correct a map in consideration of a
traveling history of the vehicle to be operated. Accordingly, the
process of step S6 ends, and the process goes to step S7.
In the process of step S7, the operator operates the vehicle
operation device 3 and inputs an operation signal indicating an
operation amount of the reference vehicle. Then, the operation
amount correction unit 52 corrects the operation amount, which is
indicated by the input operation signal, according to a
characteristic of the vehicle to be operated by using the map
corrected in step S6. The vehicle control unit 53 performs remote
operation of the vehicle to be operated by outputting a control
signal indicating the corrected operation amount to the vehicle to
be operated in such a manner that operation is performed according
to the corrected operation amount. Accordingly, the process of step
S7 ends, and the process goes to step S8.
In step S8, the remote operation control device 5 determines
whether the vehicle to be operated arrives at a destination on the
basis of the traveling destination information acquired in step S5.
As a result of the determination, in a case where the vehicle to be
operated arrives at the destination (Yes in step S8), the remote
operation control device 5 advances the remote operation control
process to step S9. On the other hand, in a case where the vehicle
to be operated does not arrive at the destination (No in step SB),
the remote operation control device 5 executes the process of step
S8 again after standing by for a predetermined period.
In step S9, the remote operation control device 5 determines
whether it is possible to end the remote operation of the vehicle
to be operated by determining whether the vehicle to be operated is
a position where stopping/parking is possible. As a result of the
determination, in a case where the vehicle to be operated is in a
position where stopping/parking is possible (Yes in step S9), the
remote operation control device 5 determines that the remote
operation can be terminated and ends the series of remote operation
control process. On the other hand, in a case where the vehicle to
be operated is not in a position where stopping/parking is possible
(No in step S9), the remote operation control device 5 determines
that the remote operation cannot be terminated and advances the
process to step S10.
In step S10, the operator operates the vehicle operation device 3
and makes the vehicle to be operated travel to a remote operation
ended point such as a position where stopping/parking is possible.
Accordingly, the process of step S10 ends, and the process goes
back to step S9.
As it is apparent from the above description, in the remote
operation control process according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure, the remote operation control device 5 corrects,
according to a characteristic of a vehicle to be operated, an
operation amount indicated by an operation signal input from the
vehicle operation device 3, and outputs a control signal indicating
the corrected operation amount to the vehicle to be operated in
such a manner that operation is performed according to the
corrected operation amount. Then, according to such a
configuration, an operator can perform remote operation of a
vehicle to be operated as if he/she constantly operates a reference
vehicle without changing an operation amount for each vehicle to be
operated. Thus, it is possible to prevent a passenger of the
vehicle to be operated from feeling excessive
acceleration/deceleration. Further, since one operator can perform
remote operation of a plurality of vehicles by switching a vehicle
to be operated by the remote operation, it is possible to reduce
the number of standby vehicles such as a taxi and to reduce an
amount of CO.sub.2 emission.
Furthermore, the remote operation control device 5 corrects an
operation amount in such a manner that an accelerator position of a
vehicle to be operated increases as the number of passengers (load
capacity) of the vehicle to be operated increases. Then, according
to such a configuration, an operator can perform remote operation
of a vehicle to be operated without changing an operation amount
according to the number of passengers in the vehicle to be
operated. Thus, it is possible to further prevent a passenger of
the vehicle to be operated from feeling excessive
acceleration/deceleration.
According to an embodiment, since an operator can perform remote
operation of a vehicle without changing an operation amount
according to load capacity of the vehicle, it is possible to
further prevent a passenger of the vehicle from feeling excessive
acceleration/deceleration.
According to a vehicle remote operation system of the present
disclosure, since an operator can perform remote operation of a
vehicle without changing an operation amount for each vehicle to be
operated, it is possible to prevent a passenger of the vehicle from
feeling excessive acceleration/deceleration.
Although the disclosure has been described with respect to specific
embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended
claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as
embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may
occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic
teaching herein set forth.
* * * * *